Method for monitoring fire-fighting system valve with sensor arranged outside the valve

Abstract

Method for monitoring valves, in particular valves of a fire fighting system, comprising capturing first sensor signals at a valve in an intact state with a sensor, training the monitoring with the first sensor signals captured at the valve in the intact state, capturing second sensor signals at the valve in an unknown state with the sensor, comparing the trained first sensor signals with the second sensor signals and outputting a signal in case of a deviation of the second sensor signals from the first sensor signals above a limit value.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Method for monitoring fire fighting system main or area valves, comprising:
 acquisition of first sensor signals at a fire fighting system main or area valve in an intact state with a sensor; 
 training the monitoring with the first sensor signals captured at the valve in an intact state; 
 capturing second sensor signals at the valve in an unknown state with the sensor; and 
 comparing the trained first sensor signals with the second sensor signals, and outputting a signal in case of a deviation of the second sensor signals from the first sensor signals above a limit value wherein 
 the valve and the sensor are enclosed in a common housing, the sensor is arranged outside the valve and the sensor signals are captured within the housing. 
 
     
     
       2. Method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the sensor signals are captured by 
 a sound sensor, 
 an image sensor, 
 a thermal sensor, 
 a vibration sensor, 
 a humidity sensor, 
 a pressure sensor 
 a current sensor and/or 
 a position sensor. 
 
     
     
       3. Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second sensor signals are cross-correlated. 
     
     
       4. Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the sensor signals are image signals of an image sensor and wherein the image signals are compared with one another, in particular wherein a deviation of pixel values is determined. 
     
     
       5. Method according to  claim 4 , wherein when the image signals are captured, the valve is illuminated by illumination means. 
     
     
       6. Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the second sensor signals are captured at intervals, in particular at regular intervals. 
     
     
       7. Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the sensor signals are transmitted from the sensor to an evaluation device remote from the sensor communicating with a plurality of sensors by wire or wirelessly. 
     
     
       8. Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second sensor signals are compared with one another in a processor which is arranged directly at the valve, and the comparison result is transmitted to a remote evaluation device. 
     
     
       9. System arranged to monitor fire-fighting system main or area valves, comprising:
 a sensor enclosed together with a fire-fighting system main or area valve in a housing, wherein the sensor is arranged outside the valve; 
 a processor arranged to train the monitoring with the first sensor signals captured at the valve in an intact state; 
 wherein the sensor is arranged to capture first sensor signals inside the housing at the valve in an intact state; 
 wherein the sensor is arranged to capture second sensor signals inside the housing at the valve in an unknown state; and 
 the processor is arranged to compare the trained first sensor signals with the second sensor signals and to issue an alarm signal if the second sensor signals deviate from the first sensor signals by more than a limit value and not to issue the alarm signal if the second sensor signals deviate from the first sensor signals by less than the limit value.